


Mon Frère, Mon Ami

by TheTeaIsAddictive



Series: The Beauty of a Beast [10]
Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Genre: Adam has a family and Feels ensue, Angst, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 01:37:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6883744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTeaIsAddictive/pseuds/TheTeaIsAddictive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam's brother reappears after ten years, with some bad news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mon Frère, Mon Ami

**Mon Frére, Mon Ami**

"Ah - master, there is someone here to see you."

Cogsworth popped his head around the library door, catching Adam's attention as he sat hunched over at a desk, reviewing the state of the villages surrounding the castle. The young prince looked up with a smile on his face instead of the snarl the staff had been used to for the last ten years. 

"Did they leave a name?"

"No, master, but they said it was urgent."

"Well, by all means," Adam said standing up stiffly, "take me to them - I've been doing this taxation and paperwork for far too long." They emerged from the room, and quickly travelled to the main hall of the castle. 

"You're sure they didn't say anything?" Adam asked for the third time as they approached the little waiting room - well, little in terms of the castle. 

"Positive, sire," the ex-clock reiterated. 

"Very well, then," Adam muttered, and opened the door wide. "Bonjour, Monsieur, and may I ask what brings you -" 

A tall man stood facing the door. He had the cream court colours on, and his dark hair was matched only by his eyes. The faint shadow of a beard dusted his cheeks, and although he stood with a posture unenviable, his gloved fingers were shaking. It had been ten years, but Adam would have recognised the man anywhere. 

"Charmant," he said, the old childhood nickname coming back as easily as breathing. 

"Little brother," the prince said. "I hope I find you well?"

"I don't suppose it matters much to you," Adam spat out, "leaving me here all those years - you and Father both!" 

"Now, brother, be reasonable," the older man said with a tone Adam was entirely familiar with. "You didn't really expect us to come here while you were - indisposed, shall we say? We could have been killed!"

"I was CURSED, not insane!" Adam shouted. "I would have recognised you or Father immediately -"

"And would you have attacked us?" Adam's tirade was brought short by his older brother. 

"That's not the - you still haven't answered my question."

"What one?"

"What are you doing here?" The Prince's face fell. "Well? Why, after ten years, have you finally decided to grace me with your presence?" Adam could hear his voice getting louder again, and he knew from the look on his brothers face that he wasn't being fair, but dammit he hadn't come to see him _once_ in ten years, not one letter, not one sign that he cared about his spoilt, selfish little brother, and Adam was just so _angry_ at him -

"Papa is dying," Charming said curtly. "He's delusional, demanded to see you. His _dear_ departed son."

The room was frozen by the undisguised malice in Charming's voice. Adam stood stock-still, disbelief and faint horror in his eyes. Yes, he knew that not everything would be the same after the curse was lifted, but he hadn't expected his father to be dying!

"My - my servants will see you have a room for tonight," Adam said, half in a daze. "I'll ride back with you to Paris tomorrow morning."

Charming gave a curt nod. "Very well," he said as Adam left the room. "By the way," he added before his younger brother disappeared, "I think you'll love your nephew."

***

"I didn't know you had a brother," Belle said after Adam had finished his account. 

"Honestly, I thought he might have died," he replied. "There was a war on, the last time I saw him, and he's only twenty-seven - as far as I was aware he'd gone into the Army." 

"Well, I guess you get to be reunited with family again," Belle smiled sadly. "He has a wife and child, you said?"

"The boy is six, apparently. I have to say," Adam sighed, flipping down beside Belle on the little green couch in the library, "I never thought I'd be an uncle."

"It didn't cross your mind that the heir to the throne of France would need to produce an heir of his own?" Belle teased. 

"The last time I saw the heir to the throne of France," Adam returned, "I was a spoilt ten-year-old boy suffering from a bout of influenza. I doubt I was thinking about anyone other than myself then." Belle touched his hand, and Adam leaned over to kiss the top of her head. The two of them remained stationary for a moment, before Belle stirred again. 

"You didn't say why he came. After ten years, I can hardly imagine he just popped in to say hello." 

"My -" Adam started, but his throat suddenly went dry. "My father is dying." 

"What?!" Belle exclaimed, spinning around so she faced the young man. 

"Yes," he coughed. "He's very old, and out hunting one day he fell into a lake and caught cold, according to my - to Louis." 

"I thought you said your brothers name was Charming?" Belle said, confused. 

"Charming is just a nickname. His real name is Louis," Adam explained. "But anyway, Father is delusional and wants me to be there - despite the fact he thinks I'm dead."

"He thinks you're _DEAD?!_ " Belle squawked. 

"I had a very serious bout of influenza - everybody genuinely thought I was going to die!" Adam said, rubbing his ears in mock pain. "I came out here for the 'better air' when I was ten and I've stayed here ever since."

"Well, it doesn't matter what he's done or what you think of him," Belle concluded after a moment. "Your father is ill and this could he the last time you see him, ever. You _have_ to go."

"I know," Adam said, his eyes somber and serious. "I'm leaving with Louis tomorrow morning. Will you be alright here just with the servants?"

"Of course I will," Belle smiled sadly, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "And," she added, just before they had to go to dinner, "I've given some thought to what you said the day after your birthday, and I'll let you know what I've decided when you come back."

"Thank you, _mon amour_ ," Adam whispered. "I love you," he said louder. 

"I love you too."

***

Adam didn't come back for a week, and when he did, his heavy black clothing stood out so starkly against the usual sunny materials Belle associated with him that she didn't even know how to tell him what she had decided. She knew that even though he'd hardly seen his father, the man was still very important to him, and the red-rimmed eyes greeting her at breakfast three mornings in a row only confirmed that fact. She knew there was nothing that would have made Adam happier before than hearing she had agreed to be his wife. But for now, she had to leave him to create his own path in the garden of grief, deciding in his mind the line between social mourning and the genuine grief he felt for a parent he barely remembered.

**Author's Note:**

> Not listed as a crossover because honestly the Cinderella characters are barely in it, it's juts this one fic and then mentions in other instalments. 
> 
> Originally posted on ff.net 7/09/2013


End file.
